Commerce Comet: Oh my Goodness Coach Ron.......BUT, "Best Potential? Yes. Best Actual? No

Oh my Goodness Coach Ron.......BUT

Yes, #7 did have the potential to be the best! Almost threw it all away, too.

Sure, I grew up in NY & ya just gotta love #7. 'The Commerce Comet'. And you just want to believe that Mick is among the top baseball players of all time, but is just not. Mantle's seasonal and lifetime numbers do NOT show it, sorry.
And we all know how the writers just love to look at baseball numbers all the time.

However, Mick did rise to the top during the Fall Classic. I do believe that many of his WS numbers are top dog (or #2), but I do not ever recall Mantle winning the WS MVP, (yet did win the AL MVP 3 times).

Yet, Mantle has NEVER been picked by many, if any, as the best player ever.

And, to NOT wake you up from your winter dream, Mantle is NOT considered the undisputed best switch hitter, ever.

(Heck, did NOT even hit .299 lifetime, had a heckofalot of K's, could have stolen more bases (if sober at least 3 days per week & if trained better to improve his sore legs). But #7's great and dumb ol OK smile made ya come back to the Stadium, time and time again just to see him flash the grin.) And just maybe Mantle would have gotten more Gold Glove Awards (1) if Al Kaline played in a different era.

Yet Mantle's lack his mental and spirtual strength as misplaced through out the 50's and 60's was found twenty years following his retirement from baseball.

And yes, his reinstatement (after banishment) back into the good graces of the baseball suits was long overdue prior to his HoF induction in '74.

Let's review some of Mick's Single Season Individual Batting Categoiries:
Batting Average - Top Twenty? No
At Bats - Top Twenty? No
Doubles - Top Twenty? No
Triples - Top Twenty? No
Extra Base Hits - Top Twenty? No
Slugging Average - Top Twenty? Yes 20th
Hits - Top Twenty? No
Home Runs - Top Twenty? Yes 14th
Runs Batted In - Top Twenty? No
Total Bases - Top Twenty? No
HR % - Top Twenty? Yes
RBI per game - Top Twenty? No
Runs - Top Twenty? No
Stolen Bases - Top Twenty? No
Walks - Top Twenty? Yes

Let's Look at Lifetime Batting #

Batting Average - Top 150? No
At Bats - Top Fifty? No
Doubles - Top 100? No
Triples - Top fifty? No
Extra Base Hits - Top Twenty? No
Slugging Average - Top Twenty? Yes 12th
Hits - Top Twenty? No
Home Runs - Top Twenty? Yes 9th
Runs Batted In - Top Twenty? No
Total Bases - Top Twenty? No
HR % - Top Twenty? Yes
RBI per game - Top Thirty? No
Runs - Top Twenty? No
Stolen Bases - Top Fifty? No
Walks - Top Five? Yes
# of games - Top Fifty? No
Most K's - Top Ten? Yes

cheers
Bear

ps.
OBTW
The 'short' list of players having better numbers than Mick:

Stan Musial -
Willie Mays -
Jimmy Foxx
Eddie Murray
Babe Ruth
Joe DiMaggio
Ted Williams
Henry Aaron
Mike Schmidt
Lou Gehrig
Mel Ott
Al Kaline
Carl Yastrzemski
Al Simmons
George Brett
Ty Cobb
Robin Yount
Honus Wagner
Rogers Hornsby
Duke Snider
Frank Robinson
Joe Jackson
Roberto Clemente
Harmon Killebrew
David Winfield